The collection of batteries and accumulators is through the collection system ecobatterien.
General information
Battery electrodes are frequently made out of metal or metal compounds as lead, cadmium, nickel or quicksilver, which are dangerous for the environment and highly toxic for the human body. Acids from vehicle batteries and brines from emergency batteries are highly caustic. Lithium batteries can overheat or even explode. Consider the security information.
Prevention / reduction
If possible use appliances without batteries as for instance appliances with solar cells. Use rechargeable batteries (Ni-Mh; Lithiumaccumulators).
Dry batteries undergo chemical treatment in a special installation to retrieve zinc, iron and manganese salts. Lead accumulators are distillated. Lead and iron, nickel ans plastics are made available to the industry as raw material. Accumulator acids and brines are neutralized. Mercury batteries, NiCd and NiMh are also covered in specific installations. Nickel, cadium and mercury are also recovered.
In the recent analysis of residual waste carried out in 2022, not insignificant quantities of bitumen residues and roofing felt were found. Extrapolated for the entire year, this amounted to almost 42 tonnes in Luxembourg.
However, these products do not belong in the residual waste, because bitumen, with which roofing felt is glued and which is often also used for insulation/building protection, can be harmful to health and must therefore be handled with care.
It also cannot be ruled out that the products contain tar. Unlike bitumen, tar is not obtained from petroleum, but from the pyrolysis of hard coal. It is carcinogenic and has a high pollutant potential. Tar has therefore not been allowed to be used for many years. It may still be present in older buildings, where it was mainly used as an adhesive for floor coverings, wood impregnation and waterproofing, but also as roofing felt containing tar. Tar and bitumen cannot be easily distinguished visually.
Hints
Roofing felt, bitumen residues, buckets with bitumen residues and products containing tar must therefore be disposed of via the SuperDrecksKëscht.
Direct contact with the products should be avoided during handling and transport. For this purpose, appropriate safety measures should be applied for packaging and transport:
Wear gloves, as well as long-sleeved and dirt-repellent clothing.
If possible, use a mouth guard (e.g. FFP2 mask).
Then pack the products in a tight plastic bag.
The correct disposal
Dispose of roofing felt, bitumen waste and similar products via SuperDrecksKëscht mobil or at the Resource Centre.
Since it cannot be ruled out that the products contain tar, they should be handled with the utmost care.
Take care during packaging and transport
Before laying new roofing felt, the old roofing felt should be removed and disposed of properly.
Recycling of roofing/roofing felt, bitumen sealing membranes
These go to the recycling enterprise Recyfuel in the substitute fuel production for the cement industry. In this way, they are sensibly utilised for energy. The high temperatures in the cement industry also ensure that no pollutants are released into the environment.
Disposal of bitumen residues, hazardous packaging with bitumen and waste containing tar: These go to the waste management company Indaver and are treated there in a high-temperature incineration plant in such a way that no pollutants are released.
If ink cartridges or toner cartridges are empty, fine residuals remain inside; toner powder may be cancerous. Empty ink and toner cartridges as well as most media memories do not belong into the household waste and can be recycled.
Prevention / reduction
Use toner and ink cartridges which can be refilled. This is economic and protecting the environment. Only print information, which are necessary, as less can sometimes be more. Print on both sides.
Recycling / environment correct disposal
Ink and Toner cartridges are cleaned, electric parts are checked and if necessary replaced. They are refilled and after a quality check they return to resellers. After refilling they are checked and return to resellers. The non-rechargeable batteries are recycled (material recovery). The plastic parts and metal parts are recycled. The waste toner is heat treated to produce energy.
Magnet tapes, audio and video tapes, CDs and DVDs are sorted according to types and then recycled (material recovery) in special installations. Audio cassettes and disks are used for energy production.
Lighters, aerosol cans and modern refrigeration equipment contain flammable gas. Treat gas bottles with the necessary care! Many old refrigerators even have CFC that are harmful for ozone and climate. Many gases contribute to the greenhouse effect, if there occurs an uncontrolled release. Fire extinguishers contain an extinguishing agent in pressurized metal cylinders resistant to pressure, which is released by greenhouse gas (mostly CO2) in powder and liquid extinguishers.
Prevention / reduction
Ask for advice from professional resellers when buying fire extinguishers and buy the appropriate device for your specific need. Ensure regular maintenance.
If possible use refillable aerosol systems or pump spray.
Recycling / environment correct disposal
Still usable gas bottles can be refilled after proper treatment. Otherwise, the gas is collected and incinerated and the metal goes to the metal recycling.
Fire extinguishers are dismounted as appropriate and powders separated according to type. Metals are recycled and plastic parts undergo thermal treatment.
The metals from the spray cans can be recovered – the residual contents are used thermally.
In the case of PU foam cans, the metals are sent for material recycling. A large part of the propellant gases and PU foam components can be recycled to the production of new PU foam cans.
Lighters, among other things, and not removable products are incinerated.
CFCs from refrigerating appliances are destroyed.
IMPORTANT! Not in the residual waste! Special collection container for disposable gas lighters available free of charge at the Resources Center or at SDK.
Chemical substances may be toxic, cancerous, caustic, inflammable or fire promoting. They are harmful for the soil, water, plants, animals and humans.
Bitumen and products containing bitumen may contain volatile, cancerous substances. They aren’t biodegradable.
Most solvents are inflammable, more or less dangerous for human beings and the environment.
Acid and alkali cleaners are caustic, i.e. they destroy the human tissue and contaminate water.
Prevention / reduction
Use the right quantity of chemical substances and enquire with professional resellers about environment friendly alternatives. Before buying specific cleaners, check if you really need them.
In many cases less is more and using the right dosage can help you save money.
Use detergents and cleaning products which are environmental friendly. Take notes of guidance on www.shop-green.lu.
Recycling / environment correct disposal
Solvents collected separately are distilled and returned into the economic circuit. Mixtures of solvents undergo high temperature treatment in appropriate installations. Chemicals undergo high temperature treatment in appropriate installations in order to destroy toxic substances.
IMPORTANT! Chemicals, solvents and cleaning agents do not belong in the residual waste, toilet or sink! Do not mix or incinerate!
Today, only pollutant-free/low-emission light sources are generally in circulation. Modern LED lamps are basically electronic devices. In the past, however, there was still a whole range of pollutant-containing illuminants, especially mercury compounds were used as illuminants. Quicksilver can cause damage to the brain and nerves or the metabolism. Low-pressure sodium lamps contain elementary sodium, which reacts heavily with water.
Prevention / reduction
Use energy saving lamps to save electricity and money. Ask your reseller which types are appropriate for your use. Take a look on the directions on www.shop-green.lu.
Recycling / environment correct disposal
Non-contaminated lamps are shredded and metal and glass are recycled. Lamps containing quicksilver are treated in a closed installation to recycle all components inclusive quicksilver. Quicksilver in products containing quicksilver is retrieved by distillation. LED lamps are treated and recycled like electronic devices.
Product receiver with further information on recycling: Indaver Relight
The collection of non-commercial electrical / electronic equipment takes place via the collection system for electrical / electronic waste ecotrel.
Empty containers of dangerous substances generally still contain some remainders of their dangerous content, which may lead to dangerous reactions. In particular small quantities of inflammable substances may form highly dangerous gas-air mixtures, which can explode by a spark.
Prevention / reduction
Use solvent sparingly and take whenever it’s possible low-solvent or water-soluble products. Insert solvent as possible in the circuit. Provide adequate ventilation of the workplace and filtering the extracted air.
In general, problematic products should be avoided as far as possible.
Plastic-Containers of chemicals, acids, brines, cleaners and photochemical products are recycled (material recovery).
Since 2023, containers of oils, fats and fuels can also be recycled (production of PE regrind). These are first shredded at SDK and then cleaned and further treated at KL Recycling in Hürth near Cologne.
Containers of pesticides, fertilizers and chemicals are subjected to heat treatment.
Paint and lacquers contain pigments (coloring), solvents, bonding agents and other additives. Heavy metal compounds were frequently used as coloring agents in the past but also recent paint and lacquer (for instance without solvents) contain additives as preservatives, which are dangerous for health.
Therefore, bring products that are no longer needed to the SDK as soon as possible.
Prevention / reduction
Use solvent free water lacquers as well as natural oils and waxes for wood treatment. Avoid using paint containing solvents. Use paints and lacquers that are environmentally friendly. See also the directions on www.shop-green.lu.
Recycling / environment correct disposal
Recycling of metal an plastic containers, use leftover paints and lacquers as a substitute fuel.
SDK collects more than 1,000 tonnes of old paints every year, including non-negligible quantities of interior wall paint. In general, SDK always uses the resource potential tool to look for product recipients that produce secondary raw materials within the framework of modern recycling processes and thus implement practical circular economy. However, this was not possible with the old colours. So far, these have been processed into substitute fuels, which is a progress compared to the previously usual problem waste incineration, but means a downcycling and is therefore not yet optimal. Peinture’s Robin in Useldange and the SDK now show with RobinLoop how to close regional material flows.
For RobinLoop, old paints collected from citizens are primarily used for the production of recycled paint. Currently, this concerns white interior wall paint. After a two-stage quality control at SDK and Peintures Robin, the old paint is used to produce new paint.
Asbestos is a natural, fine fiber rock with a number of usable characteristics. The danger of asbestos is linked to the sharp fiber form, which penetrates into the lung and can destroy its sensitive tissue (asbestosis). While handling asbestos containing products, avoid to generate dust and wear a dust protection mask during all works with such products. You should in no case break the asbestos cement sheets.
Prevention / reduction
In general, new products do not contain asbestos and are not dangerous for health.
Recycling / ecological disposal
Disposal of asbestos containing substances and materials on a special waste disposal site.
Important! Do not dispose of in the residual waste !
In addition to the desired effect on pest and weed, pesticides are frequently toxic for other plants, animals and the human being as well. In particular older products frequently contain highly dangerous substances for health, but even environment friendly substances may be harmful and destroy the natural balance between plants, beneficial animals and pest. Inappropriately disposed of animal corpses are dangerous for the human being and the environment. Products against voles based phosphides should not come into contact with water (danger of ignition and explosion).
Prevention / reduction
Ask your reseller or organisms for the protection of the environment about alternative preparations or methods. Only use as much manure and pesticides as is absolutely necessary. Use organic manure as for instance compost or horse manure and proceed to an analysis of the soil quality to assess the needs for manure.
You can find valuable information in the context of the campaign “without pesticides” on www.ounipestiziden.lu.
Recycling / environment correct disposal
Pesticides and manure, which are no longer used, undergo heat treatment in appropriate installations.
IMPORTANT ! Do not throw pesticides and fertilizers into the waste, toilet or sink! Do not mix or burn !
Detailed information on pesticides and alternatives can be found on the website: www.ounipestiziden.lu.
